


Space Wayfaring, 101

by Anonymous



Category: Humans Are Space Orcs (Meme), Original Work
Genre: Gen, Humans are space orcs, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21821590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Here's what they don't teach you in Space Wayfaring, 101:Aliens are weird.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 233
Collections: Anonymous, Yuletide 2019





	Space Wayfaring, 101

**Author's Note:**

  * For [azvin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/azvin/gifts).



Here's what they don't teach you in Space Wayfaring, 101:

Aliens are weird.

***

At home, Myrnna isn't prone to much self-reflection about her species. She's not _crested_ , after all, and if her plumage as an Atol is a little brighter than the Otala, well, she can keep her head down and no one really cares. 

But stationed on a 'ship, heading out to the black, she's abruptly reminded of all the oddities in the universe.

Not every alien is built along the same lines as her. That's not surprising on the face of it - they coexist relatively peacefully with the Rwato, after all, though their cities, aquatic and aerial, hardly cross - but the sheer scope of differences still manages to surprise her. They're taught general medical interventions in strokes broad enough to be useless, but Dr. Xata likes to remind her it's the specialist knowledge that will help her through.

"I hope so," Myrnna admits, but she finds more comfort in Dr. Xata's sleek, familiar plumage than she wants to let show.

Every species has evolved differently, with their own associated quirks; over the first few weeks Myrnna patches up an Andosian who will grow back his own tail and a Saviran who cannot distinguish movement but assures her he can see just fine, thank you. Slowly the lack of feathers and wings in more than half her patients becomes less jarring and more routine, and Myrnna finds herself mimicking the relaxed behaviours of the Otala onboard, like a fledgeling trying to integrate itself into a new flock.

That is when she meets Rose.

Myrnna has heard of Rose. Everyone has heard of Rose, who lingers in the 'ship's memorybanks like a particularly persistent worm; Myrnna's lunchmates like to gossip and she's heard more than she thinks she should. It's fueled by a morbid sort of curiosity, that that draws some to wheel over an accident after the vantage has already been got, and though Myrnna tries not to have any preconceived notions it isn't as easy as she hopes.

It also isn't helped by the fact that Rose is protesting as she's hurried into a medical berth.

"I'm fine!" she's saying, though what bare skin she shows is turning grey from blood-loss, the wound on her side leaking into the cloth she's pressed over it, "It's barely anything, really - "

"Let the professionals decide that," Dr. Xata says, feathers ruffling in disapproval as she gestures to Myrnna to the bio-compatible repair shelves, sorted alphabetically by species and atmosphere. Myrnna scans for Human - oxygenated and nitrogenated - and brings the epidermal restructurer over to her side. Dr. Xata has removed the makeshift bandage from Rose's side, exposing frayed cloth and under it torn skin and muscle, the edges sharp from what looks like a bite. Dr. Xata scoffs. "Humans!"

"Don't lump me in with them," Rose says, half-heartedly. She doesn't protest as Dr. Xata runs the disinfector over her wound, but she winces when the subdermal regenerator comes out. "It's not like I mind that you stitch me up - it's just - "

Dr. Xata gives her a sharp look and silently brandishes the epidermal restructurer like a blaster. Myrnna ventures, a little hesitantly, "Just what?"

Rose glances at her and smiles. "Just - I didn't want to make a fuss, you know? I mean, I might be a bit hurt, but it wasn't his fault, really. I should have known better."

"You should have," Dr. Xata grumbles, as she seals up Rose's wound. "Myrnna, Frau Weber here requires hydration; I will let you handle her from here."

She bustles off to the back, where Myrnna knows she has a few biological agents incubating and requiring careful monitoring. Myrnna takes the regenerators as Rose peers down at the faint pink lines crossing her dark skin, and tries not to look like she's staring. She's seen pictures of humans before, of course, but there's something quite odd about them in person, their mammalian origins evident in their smooth skin and the digital precision of their hands and fingers. "So - you're new, right?" Rose ventures, after a moment. "Was it Myrnna?"

"Yes," Myrnna says, a little awkwardly. "That's me. And you're, um, Rose."

Rose smiles at her again, that evolutionary sign of aggression that morphed into friendship somewhere along the way. "Heard of me already, have you?" she says, but she doesn't sound like it bothers her, her voice laced with more amusement than resignation. "I could have guessed."

"You are human," Myrnna says, hesitantly. "It makes you a little - unusual."

"Oh, everyone says that," Rose says, with a soft rumble in her throat. "They're all jumping to see what I do next, honestly. The human, the oddity - I don't know who was responsible for first contact here, but I think we all deserve to have a few words with them."

Myrnna tips her head, peering at her over the cup she's filling with water. "You don't like it?"

"Does anyone?" Rose says, and lets her clothing fall over her newly healed wound as she shifts on the bed, until her legs hang over the edge. "It's okay. Maybe I do heal fast, or have an interesting immune system, or tend to get stuck in my work. It's just how we all are, I guess."

Myrnna passes the cup over to her, and Rose winds her fingers around it. "I think it might be the injuries," Myrnna says. "How did you - did something bite you?"

Rose's face regains some colour. "Um." She glances at Myrnna through her eyelashes, then drops her gaze to take a sip of water as she clears her throat. "I mean, it was an accident. I didn't know Chewie'd react to chocolate like that - it was cleared, I didn't think it would be outright poisonous - "

Myrnna is staring at her when she stops, not quite knowing what to say. "You - accidentally poisoned your friend?"

"Oh, Chewie's not, not sentient," Rose clarifies, quickly, "more like a pet, and it's only poisonous in high doses. I think he's like a cat actually - missing sweetness receptors…" She takes note of Myrnna's bewilderment and smiles again. "You haven't been around for Trivia Night yet, have you?"

"Trivia Night?" Myrnna echoes.

"It's once a month," Rose says. "We play 'Name that Animal' after, it's a variation of 'Dog or Not?'" She meets Myrnna's eyes again. "Would you like to join us next time?"

"I think," Myrnna says, slowly, "I would, yes. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Rose says, cheerfully. "You haven't even met Chewie yet - he's not actually dangerous, don't worry," she adds, as if that's the reason for Myrnna's hesitation, "really, more like a - a ship mascot? I think it's something you just have to see for yourself."

Myrnna releases Rose from Medical after she passes her general scans, and wonders, later, if that's just how humans are. Bright, yes, but almost uncomfortably so, like an Atol of Myrnna's age showing off their mating plumage just to stand out; it takes until Myrnna's mid-shift meal break she feels her feathers have relaxed from the oddity of it all. It isn't the first time something has jarred her, though, and she doubts it'll be the last.

Aliens are weird. She remembers that.

It takes three more days for Myrnna to meet Chewie. He happens to be an animal she doesn't recognise, large enough on six legs she doesn't want to see him on four. "Myrnna!" Rose says, brightening when she sees her, and there's a whole half-team's worth of people around Chewie as Myrnna hesitantly shuffles forward.

Rose's fingers are on Chewie's side. His fur does look enticingly soft. It's almost enough to forget the teeth.

"He doesn't like chocolate, you said," Myrnna prompts. "I, um, I looked that up, after, it's an adenosine inhibitor?"

"That might be what caused it," chimes in someone Myrnna doesn't recognise yet, their orange scales rippling as they look Chewie over with a discrete scanner. Their tongue flicks out to taste the air as they face her. "There's a bit of information missing, here, we don't know where he comes from originally."

"I know where I _found_ him," Rose says, in the tone of an old argument repeated a dozen times. "We couldn't know until I tried it."

Myrnna feels her wings rise subconsciously, and Chewie's gaze snaps to her; she freezes, again abruptly aware of the predator in the room. Rose makes a few soft noises until he settles, and Myrnna says, almost a reminder, "And how are you?"

Rose grins at her. "All healed up, if that's what you're asking."

"All healed - Rose!" 

"It wasn't a bad injury, he was just startled - "

Myrnna meets another's gaze across the room. They have the same expression she does, wings half-mantled in thorough bemusement, though they're lacking plumage entirely.

" - not that again," Rose is saying, "it's not a human thing, it's a me thing - "

Myrnna decides to chance a step forward. Chewie remain docile, calmed, and Rose looks sheepish when she glances at her. "It's nice to meet you, Rose," Myrnna says.

"Right," Rose says, "introductions!"

Chewie does look very soft. Myrnna thinks she's not the only one to be curious. Perhaps one day she'll even work up to touching.

"Is it always like this?" she says, out loud, and the avian shuffled next to her is the one who says:

"Oh, no. It's much worse."

They exchange another look, empathetic. Myrnna laughs.

***

Here's what they do teach you in Space Wayfaring, 101:

Be curious. Keep an open mind. Some things are universal.


End file.
